Wednesday, Feb. 19
It’s Downtown Racine’s Craft Beer Week, with beer specials and events at spots throughout the city. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for tastings and other happenings.
3 Sheeps Brewing is taking over the taps at Ray’s Bar (8930 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa) from 4 to 10 p.m. They’ll have a rarity or two on offer.
North Pillar Brewing heads to Magellan’s on Main (370 W. Main St., Waukesha) for a meet-the-brewer event from 5 to 7 p.m. They’ll have free samples to try and knowledge to share. This event was rescheduled from last week due to weather.
1840 Brewing Company has three beers coming out this week. They’re releasing Not Another Zumo Call imperial IPA, Death of a Palesman hazy pale ale, and Plumposa, a fruited sour made with oranges and tangerines.
Thursday, Feb. 20
The release of the collab Midwest Mafia Vol. 2, a West Coast IPA, takes place at Sugar Maple (441 E. Lincoln Ave.) from 4 to 7 p.m. Component Brewing and Madison’s excellent Working Draft Beer Co. teamed up on the beer.
Side Project Brewing of St. Louis, a brewery known for its wild-fermented beers that is causing quite a buzz with its recent launch of Wisconsin distribution, is paying a visit to Draft & Vessel (4417 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood) and bringing a few rarities with it.
Saturday, Feb. 22
The Jackson Sparks Foundation hosts a beer and wine tasting fundraiser at Broken Bat Brewery (135 E. Pittsburgh Ave.) from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets for the tasting are $75 and must be purchased in advance.
Dead Bird Brewing (1726 Dr. William Finlayson St.) is hosting its Snow Pants or No Pants Winter Festival from noon to 5 p.m. All sorts of festivities are planned, including the release of the 2025 Door County Cherry Strumpet Imperial Stout.
The Oconomowoc Baseball Club has a wine, beer and bourbon tasting event happening at Wisconsin Brewing Company Park (1011 Blue Ribbon Circle N., Oconomowoc) at 5:30 p.m. The fundraiser for local baseball and fastpitch softball clubs costs $65.
Try samples from Duesterbeck’s Brewing of Elkhorn at Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.) from noon to 3 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 23
The forecast is much improved from this week’s cold temperatures for Wückfinter VII, the annual winter parking lot party at Ray’s Wine & Spirits (8930 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa) from noon to 5 p.m. Three Floyds Brewing is bringing more than 20 beers to the event, including nine variants of its Dark Lord imperial stout. The mobile eats are impressive, too: mobile kitchens include Bavette la Boucherie, La Dama Mexican Kitchen, Morel Restaurant and Off Shore Food Truck.
Happy Fred Usinger Day to all who celebrate. The founder of Milwaukee’s famous sausage brand will be remembered in a big way at Old German Beer Hall (1009 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.). They’ll be serving free brats starting at 8 a.m. until they last. At 5 p.m., Fritz Usinger IV will tap a wooden keg of Hofbräu Munich beer, with free pours from it while it lasts.
Coming Soon
Wednesday, Feb. 26: Vennture Brew Co. West (2970 N. Brookfield Rd., Brookfield) is pairing beers with Scotch whiskey. Yep.
Friday, Feb. 28: Component Brewing’s now-annual Zebra Hop release, which benefits the National Organization for Rare Disorders, is happening from 4 to 9 p.m.
Saturday, March 8: The 25th anniversary of Food & Froth is happening at the Milwaukee Public Museum (800 W. Wells St.). Separately, Foxtown Brewing (6209 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon) teams with Old World Wisconsin for a “farm to tavern” beer dinner. The five-course menu includes a few Wisconsin favorites and costs $150.
Saturday, March 15: Third Space Brewing (1505 W. St. Paul Ave.) releases its always-delicious Mystic Knot Barrel-Aged Irish-Style Coffee Stout and variants.
Monday, March 17: The annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl, hosted by the Explorium Hospitality Group, starts at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $50.
